Mann+Hummel Drives Data-Led Supply Chain Transformation Through Digitalisation and AI
Mann+Hummel Drives Data-Led Supply Chain Transformation Through Digitalisation and AI
Synopsis- Mann+Hummel is reshaping its global supply chain by prioritising data ownership and digital integration.
- Close collaboration between logistics and IT underpins the company’s move toward simulation, resilience, and AI-enabled decision support.
- Cloud migration and digital twin development are central to the next phase of operational transparency.
Mann+Hummel is in the midst of a broad, company-wide transformation that places data at the centre of its future supply chain strategy. Speaking during a Red Sofa interview at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies Europe in Munich, Kai Albus, senior vice president of global supply chain and logistics for transportation at the tier-one supplier, outlined how the organisation is reshaping the way it works by tightly integrating logistics, IT, and digitalisation.
“At Mann+Hummel, we are in the process of transforming our company completely, and that also includes how supply chain will play a major role in the future of the business,” Albus said, according to Automotive Logistics. He explained that the journey began with a stronger focus on the data the company already collects and how that information can be better used across the organisation.
The first stage involved digitalising manufacturing platforms to increase data capture from production operations. From there, attention shifted toward the supply chain. Albus noted that owning and mastering data is critical, not only to ensure availability across functions, but also to enable deeper understanding of how information can be applied in logistics and supply chain decision-making.
Access to comprehensive, high-quality data allows Mann+Hummel to provide customers with the information they require, while also supporting internal digital solutions that can simulate different scenarios. These capabilities help the company assess what might happen if changes are introduced, strengthening resilience by enabling analysis before disruptions occur.
A key enabler of this approach has been close collaboration between logistics and IT. Albus said that since joining the company, working side by side with IT teams has been a priority. Teams are structured to operate in an agile way, jointly evaluating systems and initiatives, including shared assessments of solutions in different regions. “It’s really a shared effort and a shared success at the end,” he said.
This collaborative foundation has supported Mann+Hummel’s recent migration to the cloud using SAP S/4HANA. Albus described the move as a major step forward in data availability. The company operates a single global SAP instance rather than multiple regional setups, allowing data to flow consistently across the organisation. While SAP plays a central role, Mann+Hummel is also connecting additional systems and expanding the use of integrated supply chain tools such as transport management systems and warehouse management systems in selected areas.
As digitalisation accelerates, the role of leadership is also evolving. Albus highlighted the importance of helping employees feel confident working with AI and digital solutions, and of building trust in the data that underpins these tools. He stressed that people must understand how they can still influence outcomes and why human experience remains essential, even as automation increases.
In this context, Mann+Hummel has begun developing digital twin capabilities. The company is working on an AI-based logical learning solution designed to predict how leaders make decisions, giving teams access to those decision patterns even when leaders are not directly available.
Looking ahead, Albus outlined three priorities for the next phase of the roadmap. The first is ensuring sufficient data is available to build robust supply chain digital twins. The second is continuing the implementation of a new sales, inventory and operations planning process to advance planning and forecasting. The third is making data transparent and accessible in real time across the organisation.
Source: Automotive Logistics – Have a Story? Address it to the Editor and submit it here
About Mann+Hummel
Mann+Hummel is a global filtration specialist and tier-one automotive supplier with a strong presence across transportation, industrial, and environmental markets. The company develops filtration solutions for vehicles, machinery, clean air, and clean water applications, serving customers worldwide through an extensive manufacturing and engineering footprint. In the automotive sector, Mann+Hummel supplies original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket with filtration systems that support efficiency, durability, and regulatory compliance. Beyond automotive, the company applies its expertise to industrial filtration, indoor air quality, and water treatment technologies. Mann+Hummel has positioned digitalisation and data-driven operations as key pillars of its long-term strategy, integrating advanced IT systems, cloud platforms, and emerging technologies such as AI and digital twins to enhance transparency, resilience, and performance across its global supply chain.
Featured image Source: Haskoning
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